Process of refining copper.



WALTER S. ROCKEY AND HILLIARY ELDRIDGE, 0F NEW'YDRK, N. Y.

PROCESS .011 REFINING COPPER.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that we, WALTER S. ROOKEY and I'IILLIARY ELDRIDGE, citizens of 2 United States, and both residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Processes of Refining, Copper, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

Our invention relates to the process of refining copper and the object of our invention is to purify-copper by' a new process.

The copper we preferably purpose to treat is known as cathode copper which is formed electrically but We do not limit the refining to (his class of copper alone, but can refine other grades.

Our method consists infusing and refining cathode copper undera flux which is the silica be used,

crucible or of copper proceeds ,in the composed of boron trioxid or ofboron 'tri' oxid and silica; the silica is used to. satisfy, and. prevent the action of boron ,trioxid on of the hearth 0r crucible that may and the reduction of the surface and contained oxids of the copper or other: tdir its which dissolve or are held in susn in the flux, which are consummated contained impurities of the cathode copper.

Jn carrying a molten bath 0 i lif arth should contain any silica,

out our process, We prepare" 7 llLlX of boron trioxid .or

of i'mron.

to satisfy and crucible that maybe used. Wealso to provi ion for condensing tliez-bforohl, should it be vehicled out -of--tzhe 1 or crucible. by the furnace v.igases ne over it while in a molten state. We use a hearth orcrucible constructed i material such for illustration as A flier thisbath of flux is prepared We add the copper and as the metal fuses, the surface and the contained oxids of the metal dissolve in the bath of flux and the other impurities which are evolved from the bath of metal by the process of fusion, reduce the dissolved oxids in the order of their affinities. For illustration, taking cathode copper as'an example, this contains notably occluded and surface hydrogen which is evolved by electrolytic action and is absorbed. by the cathode copper as the process-of electrolytic deposition,

manufacture.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 12, 1910.

which passes off.

1d and silica in case theprevent the vaction of the. boron irioxhl on the silica ofthe hearth.

purification and or eliminated, and beneath said flux to prevent oxidation and period.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910. Serial No. 581,648.

percentage of hydropresence to the oiling by the electrolytic op- In the refining of very impure There is also present a carbon which owes'its ofthe cathode plates erators.

copper more of this hydro-carbon oil could be added to assist its reduction. This oc cluded and contained hydrogen as 1 it is evolved from the molten metal combines with the oxygen of the dissolved copper oxid or other oxids,

freeing metal which is precipitated,

and forming water H O as vapor while the hydro decomposed by heat and breaking up into hydrogen and carbon performs a double decomposing function t-he hydrogen reacting as abo'vedescribed, and the carbon combining with the oxygen of carbon which is .a portion otthe dissolved copper oxid or otheroxids that may be present frees'metallic copper, which is precipitated, and forms carboninonoxid CO and carbon dioxid CO which pass oil in a gaseous state. tion to these reactions, other contained im-- purities, metallic and non-metallic elements which may be contained in the fused copper, such as iron, arsenic, antnnony,'silver, etc.

react upon the dissolved orsuspended copper oxid or other oxids thaama ,be present or upon each others oxide, sulfi s orchlorids in the order of'their aflinities forming gases In addior vapors which would pass off or formin oxids which would dissolve or be held suspension in the purifying the copper. Most of these reac-, tions are madefpossible by reason of the exclusion of the atmosphere anduthe dissolving and suspen'sory properties-.,offthe flux, boron trioxid 13 0 The above de scribed react-ions would also apply-to the refining of copper ,inatte before electroly'zing and also the refining of ordinary commercial copper' Having thus described our invention hatwe claim as new is: i 1. The process of refining copper consist-- ing in providinga suitable crucible or. hearth and placing therein a predetermined quantity of boron trioxid and fusing same by heat to'forni a bath, then adding 'the.copand fusing'same in said the oxids and other iniby said metal are reduced then cooling said copper per to be refined bath of fiux until purities contained flux, thus refining and;

absorption of gases during the cooling which has been previously .IIHIHUISBQ 111 a hydro-carbon oil to said fused flux of boron trioxld and fusing and heating the said cap per therein until the surface and" eonta'ined oxids of the copper are reduced by the reaction of the contained, hydro en f 60 the copper and the hydrogen and car on of the decom osable hydrocarbon oil thathad 5 lily of boron trioxid and fusing said boron lrioxid by heat, then adding a sufficient quantity of silica to neutralize the action of the boron trioxid on the silica that may be contained in the crucibleor hearth and then been adde' with the copper substantially as adding the copper to. said flux and fusing described.

and heating the same therein until the oxids, gases and other impurities contained in said, metal are reduced oreliminated. I The process of refining cathode copper consisting in providing asuitable crucible or hearth such for illustration as magnesite 'and placing therein a predetermined quantity of boron trioxid and fusing said boron trioxid' by heat, then adding a sutficient quantity of silica to neutralize theaction of the boron triox'id that maybe contained in the crucible or hearth, then adding the copper-to said flux and fusing-and heating same, therein until the oxids, gases and other im-' purities contained in said metal are reduced or eliminated from the copper, and then cooling said metal beneath said flux to'pre- Yent oxidation during the cooling period.

4. The process oflrefiningcatl10de'-'copper, consisting in providing a suitablecrucible or hearth which is constructed of material refractory to heat and neutral to the flux emplo 'ed, such for illustration as magnesite, and pacing therein a predeterminec quantity of boron trioxid and fusin the said boron trioxid by' heat and then a ding cathode copper to said fused flux of boron trioxid and fusing a' hdi heating the oath ode copper therein-until the contained pxids -4;) of the cathodecopper arereduced by the reaction of the contained hydrogen, hydro carbon and other impurities that may be 7 present in the said cathode copper and the r "ases and other 'im urities are eliminated- Y '45 romthe" said catho e copper, substantially 'as described. The process ofrefining. copper consisting in providing asuitahle cruclble' orheartli which is constructed of, material, refractory .50 to heat and neutralflfg'i the flux employed,

such. forillustration as magnes-ite, 'and plac ing therein a predetermined quantity of borontrioxid, and fusing the said boron 'trioxid by heat and then adding copper 6. The process of purifying co' er matte of surface or contained oxid's, su Eds, chlorids and gasesconsisting in roviding a suitable crucible or' hearth, which is constructed of material refrqctgry to heat and neutral to the flux employed, such for illu's- 7'0 tration as magnesite and placing therein a predetermined quantity of boron trioxid and fusing th said boron trioxid by heat and then adding copper matte that has previ'ously been immersed in a hydro-carbon oil to said fused flux of boron trioxid and'fusing and heating the said copper matte there; in until the surface or-contained oxids are 'reduced' by the hydrogen of the copper and. the" hydrogen and carbon of the decompO- Y able hydro-car n oil that is present, and the sulfids, chlorid and gases are eliminated from the copper matte or are dissolved in. the flux or are expelled therefrom.

7; The procss'of refining im ure copper 35, consisting in providing a suitaldle crucible or hearth which is constructed of material refractory to heat and neutral to the flux employed suchfor illustration asmagnesite and placing therein a predetermined quanmy of'boron trioxid (B 0 andfusing the I said .boron trioxid eat andthen adding copper to said Hui of borfin tri "and then introducing hydro-carbon itd said flux, and then fusing and heatingth said copper in'said flux until the container; oxids of the copper are reduced by t-he contained hydrogen of the copper and the I hydrogen and carbon of the decomposable: hvdro-carbon that has been added, subs'tan- -10;

ti'ally as described. t. I Iii-testimony whereof, We afiix our sigma V tures in presence of two witnesse's. j I

' WALTER- s. HOCKEY.

HILLIAR'Y ELDRIDGE.

\Vitnesses:

-FRANK C. lLUMn,

G. F. QUAGKINBUSH. 

